AMD ushers in changes and future plans

We've heard a few reports lately that AMD's follow-up to Socket AM2 will be called Socket AM3. We hadn't seen a definitive posting yet, so we haven't mentioned it. Today, however, The Inquirer's Charlie Demerjian has posted an article citing sources saying that Socket AM3 will support DDR3. It will be the successor to Socket AM2, though there's no word on when it will be available.

In addition to upcoming products using Socket AM3, there will be some numbering changes to AMD processor identification parts. Opterons are currently available in x85 flavors (such as 185, 285, and 885), which means that AMD can't go too much further (190 and 195) before it breaks the numbering convention. This means that a changing of the numbering guard is nearly at hand (I think AMD should move to hexadecimal, but that's just me).

AMD's future products are a little difficult to come by directly from the source. Most of the enthusiast community's information comes from leaked documents stemming from AMD's partners. And, knowing The Inquirer as I do, it is likely that occasionally a piece gets through that wasn't quite leaked in context or even properly. I've often wondered how often companies will leak specific documents or specs to only a specific manufacturer to see where that information comes from, such as saying “1.84 volts” on this manufacturer's product sheet, “1.85 volts” on another, and “1.86 volts” on a third, just to see which number appears on some websites.

For now we'll have to rely on this sometimes unreliable news. Socket AM2 is a definite go, and Socket AM3 is the likely follow-up and should not come too late in the game. AMD is reportedly able to release K8L on 90 nm if it has to, but it's waiting for 65 nm to allow it to really shine. We'll see virtualization and security features with Socket AM2 products, allowing a more rounded and comprehensive computing experience. And with AMD's licensing of Z-RAM we could be seeing some major caching architecture changes in future AMD products.

We'll just have to wait and see. But, stay tuned to Geek.com and we'll keep you apprised as the information trickles in.

Marketing Buzz(1:03pm EST Wed Mar 29 2006)Companies may leak deniable info through channels just for marketing buzz. They don't want to tip their hand too much to the competition, but they do want to have some level of interest and excitement in the market, so this may just be part of the game.

I mean, when we get down to it, we are really no more informed than we were the second before we started reading this, but now we get to speculate and say “”oooooh, wouldn't that be cool?”” (marketing buzz) – by Cynic

News Flash(2:35pm EST Wed Mar 29 2006)AMD's new socket will be named AM3!!!!

Rumor has it that the soon-to-be much-anticipated follow on to the AM3 will be called the:AM4

(5:30pm EST Thu Mar 30 2006)I swear we have already had most of this story. But it about time AMD pull there thumb out as they look to have lost there edge and even looking in trouble. Going for the newer RAM will help sustain themselves for a bit but its not the answer – by

amd's change will only be good if(3:01am EST Sun Apr 02 2006)there's a overall performance increaseas well as being compatible with current power supply units. – by danny